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The celebrated English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys’ concert film of their greatest hits tour, DREAMWORLD: The Greatest Hits Live, will be screened in selected Ster-Kinekor cinemas on 31 January and 04 February 2024, in celebration of the duo’s 40th anniversary.
Directed by the renowned leading live performance director David Barnard, the 14-camera 4K shoot ensures an immersive big screen experience.
This exclusive two-screening event showcases Pet Shop Boys’ electrifying and critically acclaimed tour, Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live captured from the Royal Arena in Copenhagen on 07 July 2023. It features primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe in an uplifting and exhilarating performance during a lavish stage show with full back-up band and mesmerising visual backdrops, performed to an exuberant, sold-out audience.
The much-anticipated Joburg Film Festival in partnership with MultiChoice, is set to return in the first quarter of 2024, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinema enthusiasts for a celebration of storytelling through the art of film.
With a rich tapestry of diverse cultures and narratives, the festival promises to captivate audiences not just in Joburg, but across the African diaspora and beyond. Born out of the desire to create an exciting, independent platform that not only tells Africa’s stories, but also rewards local and international excellence in film, the premiere festival will take place from the 27th February to the 3rd March 2024.
The festival is renowned as a prominent platform for showcasing local and international talent and is gearing up for a sixth edition of an extraordinary presentation of cinematic excellence. Scheduled to take place in Sandton, the heart of South Africa’s vibrant business scene, the event will feature a captivating lineup of screenings, discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities.
The Joburg Film Festival stands as a grand celebration honouring the art of storytelling while embracing the legacy of cinematic legends. With its central theme focused on inspiring storytellers who captivate audiences across the globe, the festival will further celebrate these legends in film. It serves as a platform that not only showcases groundbreaking narratives from emerging voices but also pays homage to the trailblazers and luminaries whose works have left an indelible mark on the world of cinema. From thought-provoking panel discussions to mesmerizing screenings, the festival reverberates with the energy of passionate storytellers, eager to inspire and be inspired. It’s a harmonious blend where the past meets the present, fostering an environment that honors the established whilst propelling the next generation of filmmakers toward greatness.
“In the dynamic landscape of ‘Glocalisation’ of media & entertainment, the Joburg Film Festival is a pivotal platform at the heart of Africa’s cultural and creative revolution. This sub Saharan African premier film festival & content market trade fair is set against the back drop of the continent’s rich stories and talent. It embodies the spirit of new Africa, one that is eager to showcase its creative prowess and engage in dialogue with the global community” stated Joburg Film Festival Executive Director Tim Mangwedi. ” Now in its 6th year, the Joburg Film Festival continues to celebrate the art of filmmaking. It brings together the best of African cinema, offering a window into the soul of a continent bursting with inspiring stories waiting to be told and heard on the international stage by Africans”.
Building on its legacy of promoting diverse perspectives and voices, the festival also aims to spotlight emerging talent alongside established filmmakers, offering a platform for creative expression and storytelling that reflects the richness of Africa’s cinematic landscape.
“Honey, honey!” It’s time to party! Island style! The new look production of MAMMA MIA! opens at Cape Town’s Artscape Theatre Centre on Wednesday, 06 March 2024 for a limited season ending on Sunday, 07 April 2024. Thereafter the show moves to Montecasino’s Teatro, Johannesburg opening on Friday, 12 April 2024. Tickets are on sale at www.showtime.co.za and www.ticketmaster.co.za
Featuring a full South African cast, crew and band headed by the Award-winning South African creative team MAMMA MIA! combines the finest talent this country has to offer both on and off stage. “It’s the name of the game”. Produced by leading SA promoter Showtime Management, this major international “guaranteed feel-good musical” features the timeless ABBA songs composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, including Knowing me, Knowing You; Dancing Queen; I have a Dream; Voulez Vous and many more.
Written by Catherine Johnson, MAMMA MIA! is the enchanting tale of family and friendship that unfolds on a Greek island paradise. “Lay All Your Love on Me!” On the evening of her wedding, daughter and bride-to-be Sophie invites three men from her mother’s past back to the island they visited 20 years ago in the hope of discovering which one is her father. “Does Your Mother Know?” MAMMA MIA! is a story of love laughter and friendship – it’s a wedding, it’s a party. Come celebrate with the ultimate guaranteed feel-good musical. “I Do, I Do, I Do!”
After four years, iconic comedian Russell Peters brings his unique brand of humour back to South Africa in 2024 for a 3-city tour around the country.
Peters has solidified his place in the comedy hall of fame with his unparalleled ability to connect with diverse audiences. From his early days performing in local clubs to becoming a global sensation, Peters has a knack for weaving hilarious tales from his own life and South Africans can catch Russell Peters: Live on 9th February at Durban ICC, 10th February at SunBet Arena Time Square, Pretoria and 11th February at GrandWest, Cape Town.
Tickets will go live on Ticketpro soon. Register with the Blu Blood Royalty Club to get Early Bird access: https://tinyurl.com/BBRoyaltyClub.
Russell Peters has come a long way from the 19-year-old doing stand-up at open mics in Toronto. With a career spanning decades, he has set attendance records at venues all around the world, was named one of Rolling Stones’ 50 Best Comics of All Time, released numerous comedy specials and has several awards under his belt for his hosting, producing and acting talents.
Following hot on the stiletto heels of the smash hit musical comedy, Aunty Merle It’s A Girl, Marc Lottering and a dynamic cast return to the stage with the hit sequel AuntyMerleThings Get Real from 16 February to 3 March 2024 at Theatre of Marcellus, Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.
Two years have gone by since we last visited Aunty Merle on Belgravia Road and things are about to get real…really real! Aunty Merle Abrahams has survived Covid-19 and lockdown and is navigating her way through the darkness of loadshedding. But now her loving husband, Dennis, is keeping a secret from her. One which is about to turn Merle’s world upside down. Her spirits may sink even lower than her sunken lounge.
“When I started creating this story, the world found itself in a delicate space post-Covid, along with South Africa facing its own burning issues. The challenge was to acknowledge the realities of the world Aunty Merle was living in but to also keep the audience laughing,” shares Lottering on where he drew inspiration for the new offering.
Start 2024 at the Joburg Theatre with the Michael Jackson HIStory tribute concert on stage at the iconic Mandela Theatre from 18 January to 04 February for ten performances only at 8pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with 2pm performances on Sundays. This spectacular music tribute and full-scale stage production honours the one and only King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Tickets are on sale at www.joburgtheatre.com
Celebrate Jackson’s creative genius and unsurpassed talent with riveting live performances evoking his early days as a member of the Jackson 5, his ground-breaking theatrics in the 80’s and his continued domination of Pop culture into the 21st century.
Songs include Thriller, Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, Bad, Beat It, ABC, Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Human Nature, PYT, They Don’t Really Care About Us and many more.
IMAX and Pathé Live in partnership with Mercury Studios and Queen Films has announced that, for the very first time, one of the world’s biggest bands will perform on cinema’s biggest screens with the global release of “QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL,” exclusively in IMAX® beginning 18 January 2024. This exhilarating live concert from 1981 is a window into Queen in its most unalloyed form, giving audiences a larger-than-life, front-row immersive experience.
The film was digitally re-mastered for the first time into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience®, including 12-channel surround sound, crystal-clear images, and IMAX’s customised theatre geometry.
Mzansi Life & Style by Mishkah Roman-Cassiem 